


we say we're friends (we play pretend)

by bellamyblakru



Series: Merthur Week 2020 Fics - Canon Era Oneshots [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur loves his dumbass warlock, Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Merlin love his king, POV Merlin (Merlin), i feel like im so bad at happy times LOL, i suck at tags bye, i tried for fun fluff stuff, merthurweek2020, they are actual children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28095636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellamyblakru/pseuds/bellamyblakru
Summary: Day 4: “What are you hiding Merlin?” + Fun
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthur Week 2020 Fics - Canon Era Oneshots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2034928
Comments: 13
Kudos: 138
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	we say we're friends (we play pretend)

“This needs to stop,” Merlin grumbled under his breath, racing down the next corridor. As he skidded to swig into the turn, he yelled behind him, “ARTHUR! I will magic your ass to stop chasing me if it comes to it!”

He heard Arthur chuckle breathlessly, still running after him, “Try me, Merlin! You won’t!”

Merlin sighed, knowing that Arthur was right, “Fine! I’ll hire someone to stop you, how about that?”

Arthur was too close for his liking, “You could, but where’s the fun in that?”

“There is fun in you relentlessly chasing me every time you see me? Don’t you have a kingdom to run or something?”

Arthur laughed, “I think this takes precedence.”

A groan escaped Merlin, “I do not think it should, _Oh Mighty King._ ”

Merlin swung into a new hallway, servants quickly moving to the sides knowing the drill by now, and he finally saw his way of evading capture, “LANCE! GWEN!”

Both of them stopped abruptly, staring wide eyed at Merlin, but Merlin didn’t give them time to answer, “I owe you guys one!” And as he said this, he quickly prodded them into the middle of the hallway. Merlin ducked behind Lance as he saw Arthur’s golden hair finally making his way towards them. Merlin gulped, gently pushing the couple forwards, as he spelled himself to be invisible.

“Where did he go?”

Lance shifted on his feet, “Where did who go, Sire?”

Gwen placed a hand on Lance’s arm, “We have not seen anyone! Right, dear?”

Lancelot nodded his head enthusiastically, making Merlin internally groan at the horrendous acting, “Yes! That’s right!”

Arthur sighed, pinching his nose, “You guys are the worst.”

Gwen moved forwards to pat Arthur’s shoulder, dragging Lance by his hand, “Always glad to help, Arthur.”

Merlin already shuffled off to the side, hiding behind a pillar, watching Arthur wearily. As the couple moved past his king, he heard Arthur mutter, “He’s probably hiding under Gwaine’s bed again,” as he stalked down the hallway and out of sight.

Merlin let loose his breath, slumping against the wall. He felt his smile widened at his thought: _I won today_. He let go of the spell, standing up, and shaking it off, trying to warm up his body. He always feels so cold after he does that spell and wondered if he should ask Kilgharrah if there was a way to stop that.

He smiled at one of the maids passing by, but it dropped when he heard the pointed cough from the end of the hallway. Slowly, Merlin turned around to face the familiar sound, dread filling him up.

Arthur was picking at his nails, leaning against the wall with his legs crossed at the ankle, “Thought you won, did you? I learned all your little tricks, Merlin. And, I’ll even be a good sport this time: I’ll let you have a head start.”

Merlin gaped at him, “Wha-…how..”

And when Arthur made a shooing motion and started counting down from five, Merlin sighed dramatically...and then sprinted the other direction. 

\-----------

Merlin panted underneath Gwaine’s bed, trying to regain his composure before he convinced himself that Arthur finally went back to work. Merlin laughed under his breath, this was getting ridiculous.

He heard Gwaine cough pointedly, “Merls, he is long gone. You can come out now.” 

Merlin sagged, letting his head hit the floor with a loud thunk. Gwaine chuckled, pulling Merlin out by his arm, “Merlin. This is the third time I have found you under my bed, what’s up?”

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck, “I am making Arthur something for his birthday.”

Gwaine kept staring at Merlin like that wasn’t enough information to warrant his hiding habits, “And..?”

“And,” Merlin plopped on the bed, “the dollophead refuses to let it be a surprise! He has taken to chasing his poor Court Warlock around his stupid castle to know what I am making for him. Gwaine,” he fell back on the bed, “I am exhausted! What do I do?”

Gwaine, the traitor, laughed, “Merlin, I have no idea.”

Merlin grumbled under his breath, forcing himself to sit, “Great. So, not only do I need to protect his royal ass, but now I need to be on constant alert from him for making him a present?! How is that fair?”

Gwaine helped him to his feet, “Life is truly hard, Merls.”

Merlin narrowed his eyes at his friend, who was shoving him out the door, “Gwaine!”

Gwaine pushed him gently into the hallway with a smirk, “I am taking a nap, but I wish you luck on your princess predator problem, my friend.”

Merlin gaped as Gwaine shut the door and he just stood there staring at the offensive wood blocking him from complaining. He scowled at it before he quickly turned and ran to his room.

He didn’t come across Arthur, which was a relief, so he decided to continue working on the gift. He would rather go down fighting than let Arthur have his present early--and he didn’t think too hard about the fact that they were both grown ass men chasing each other at all hours of the day, though Gaius has made it clear to both of them that they were above such actions (Merlin had smiled sheepishly and pointed at Arthur saying he started it).

Tomorrow was the Prat’s birthday, so Merlin planned on finishing it tonight and hiding until the big day. He could do that, right?

\-----------

He almost did it. He was sleeping in his room when Arthur snuck in to find his gift, determined to get it before his birthday. But when Arthur tripped over one of Merlin’s books, and fell ungracefully on his stomach, Merlin woke up with bright golden eyes and a spell on his lips.

“Arthur?” Merlin said, rubbing his eyes, letting his power diminish through his breathing at seeing the mess of blonde hair and crumpled clothes on the floor next to his bed.

Arthur groaned unkingly, sitting up and crossing his legs on the floor, and gave Merlin a sweet, innocent smile, “Hi Merlin. Fancy meeting you here.”

Merlin sighed, moving to the floor next to his king, “Really, Arthur? You couldn’t wait a couple hours?”

“Well,” Arthur kept that smile in place to placate him, “it is already my birthday, technically. So…”

Merlin rolled his eyes but smiled at him, “Okay you cabbage-head, do you really want it now?”

Arthur nodded his head enthusiastically, _like a big child_ , Merlin thought laughing a little at Arthur’s excitement, “You do know you are a king, right? You are acting like a kid that never had a sweet before.”

Arthur faked scowled at him, “Hey! I’m just..” His smile dropped off, thinking about the word he wanted to use.

 _Ah, there is my emotionally constipated king_ , Merlin thought endearingly, “Arthur, it’s okay if you are excited for a gift.”

Arthur shook his head, “It’s not just that, though.”

Merlin tilted his head, like a confused puppy, “What is it then?”

Arthur sagged a little, taking a deep breath, “It’s just that I know how much thought you put into gifts and I-I appreciate you, and I know this might sound sad, but I usually do not receive a lot of gifts. So, a gift from you means even more.” Arthur sighed, “Do you know what I mean?”

Merlin blinked at Arthur's uncharacteristic rambling, his heart swelling with love for his king, “I understand, Arthur.”

Merlin decided to drag out the playing a little bit longer just because it did make him happy that Arthur had been giving him more attention than usual. So, he snapped his fingers, his eyes glowing, and held his hands behind his back with a smug smirk. 

Arthur narrowed his eyes, “What are you hiding Merlin? It’s my gift, isn’t it?” And then he added after a few moments, “Are you planning on showing me it any time soon?”

Merlin’s smirk didn’t move, and he shrugged, “Maybe.”

Arthur laughed, “I knew you had fun this week! You can grumble all you want, but you enjoyed my incessant chasing! You had fun,” he chuckled again, triumphantly saying, “I know you.”

Merlin couldn’t help but soften his features, responding quietly, “You know me better than anyone.”

Arthur leaned back and blinked at the soft voice, “Yeah?”

Merlin smiled at him, “Yeah, here.” He brought out his wrapped present, “I hope you like it.”

Arthur grabbed it, beaming, and unwrapped it with a speed that made Merlin laugh again.

Arthur stared at his present for a few moments, blinking fast. 

Merlin started fidgeting, “Well? Do you like it? I spent weeks making it with my magic.”

Arthur, still blinking fast, just stared at the small figurines. It was a glass like material depicting two small colorful dragons, intertwined with each other. One of them was Camelot-red and hues of pink, and the other was shades of gold and silver. Merlin spent over two months on it, in fact, spending each night adding the small details that he knew Arthur would appreciate. 

Arthur opened his mouth and then closed it again. Merlin’s stomach dropped, and asked in a small voice, “You don’t like it?”

Arthur gasped, “No! Merlin,” he shook his head, “I love it.”

Arthur gently put his fingers under Merlin’s chin, making him look at his king, “Merlin, this is beautiful. No one...no one has made something for me like this before. There is so much detail! And personality! And-and I love it.”

Merlin felt a tear escape, “You do?”

Arthur nodded, still staring at the gift in awe, “They are incredible Merlin. Just like you.”

Merlin didn’t have time to process that before he felt Arthur lips on his, a small, quick thing, before Arthur quickly looked away. Merlin’s mind was trying to catch up when he heard Arthur say quietly, “I’m so sor—“

He couldn’t finish that sentence since Merlin quickly grabbed Arthur’s face and smashed them into a messy, but perfect, kiss. 

After a few minutes, they parted. The king and his warlock just panted, leaning their foreheads against each other, knowing, deep inside, that _this_ —what they were becoming—was _right._

There was no need for words to say what just passed between them, but they both knew that their lives will never be the same again. 

Although, not that they cared much about what their future will hold when Arthur pulled Merlin in for another searing kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> WOOO day four!! guys, i think im so bad at fluff LOL im so sorry. i think im better at angst😭 hopefully this was okay, though! 
> 
> tomorrow is angst at least🙏🏻 i’ll see you guys then😉
> 
> thank you for reading!!
> 
> (title from perfect harmony by jatp)


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